Electronic Devices With Cover Layers Mounted to Displays

ABSTRACT

An electronic device may be provided with a display cover layer mounted to the device using an adhesive bond with a display. The display may be a flexible display. The flexible display may include Organic Light Emitting Diode display technology. The display may be mounted to a rigid support structure. The rigid support structure may be mounted to a device housing member. Mounting the display cover layer to the display may eliminate the need to mount the display cover layer to the device housing and may allow active display pixels to be visible under the display cover layer closer to the device housing than in conventional devices. Providing the electronic device with active display pixels closer to the device housing may reduce the need for an inactive border around the display and may improve the aesthetic appeal of the electronic device.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/812,956, filed Jul. 29, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/249,734, filed Sep. 30, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No.9,098,242, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein intheir entireties.

BACKGROUND

This relates generally to electronic devices, and more particularly, todisplays for electronic devices.

Electronic devices often include displays. Displays such as liquidcrystal displays (LCDs) are often formed from multiple layers heldtogether using adhesive at the edges of the LCD display. The adhesive atthe edges of the display may fail if other device components such as adisplay cover layer are mounted to the display in a way that exertspulling forces on the layers of the LCD display. For this reason,display cover layers are typically mounted directly to device housingswhile displays are mounted behind the display cover layers. Displaycover layers mounted to device housings require a significant amount ofinactive border area around the display in the region where the displaycover layer is mounted to the device housing. It is not uncommon for thewidth of the inactive border to be up to a centimeter wide or more. Thistype of wide inactive region tends to make displays bulky and requiresthe use of electronic device housings with wide bezels.

It would therefore be desirable to be able to minimize the width of theinactive region in a display and to otherwise improve displays forelectronic devices.

SUMMARY

An electronic device may be provided that has a display such as aflexible display. Flexible displays may include organic light-emittingdiode (OLED) displays. OLED displays contain pixels that can produceillumination without using a separate backlight unit.

Flexible OLED displays may include display layers that are bondedtogether using transparent adhesives. The transparent adhesive layers ina display can extend across substantially the entire surface of thedisplay and need not be confined to the periphery of the display. As aresult, adhesive bonds between OLED display layers may be robust enoughto allow device components to be attached to a device by mounting thedevice components directly to the OLED display.

A display cover layer such as a transparent layer of glass or plasticmay be mounted to a flexible display. The flexible display may bemounted to a rigid support structure. The rigid support structure may bemounted to device housing structures. The display cover layer may bemounted to the device primarily or exclusively by attaching the displaycover layer to the flexible display with adhesive. Rigid mountingstructures may be formed from active or inactive components of thedevice. Rigid support structures may be mounted to device housingstructures using screws or other fasteners, clips, protrusions andmating recesses, grooves, and other engagement features, glue, welds, orother suitable attachment mechanisms.

Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantageswill be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the followingdetailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device suchas a laptop computer with a display in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device suchas a handheld electronic device with a display in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device suchas a tablet computer with a display in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice having device components such as a cover layer mounted to aflexible display in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice having a rigid support structure mounted to a device housingusing screws in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice having a flexible display mounted to active internal componentsin accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice having a rigid support structure with a recessed landing platformfor an attachment member in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice having a rigid support structure with multiple welded portions inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice having a rigid support structure with a slot for a portion of aflexible display in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice having a display cover layer mounted to flexible display having aportion that is adjacent to a housing sidewall structure in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice having a rigid support structure that connects to mounting tabson a housing sidewall structure in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice having a tensioning member for maintaining the shape of a rigidsupport structure in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice in which a rigid support structure is mounted to a printedcircuit board in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice having a notched housing sidewall structure into which a flexibledisplay is mounted in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice having a notched cover layer in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice having a housing structure with a slot for a portion of aflexible display in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice having rigid support structure that forms an electromagneticshield for device components in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an illustrative system for mounting aflexible display to a rigid support structure in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice having a flexible display and a rigid support structure that havealignment marks for aligning a flexible display in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Electronic devices may include displays. Displays may be used to displayvisual information such as text and images to users.

Illustrative electronic devices that may be provided with displays areshown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. FIG. 1 shows how electronic device 10 mayhave the shape of a laptop computer having upper housing 12A and lowerhousing 12B with components such as keyboard 16 and touchpad 18. FIG. 2shows how electronic device 10 may be a handheld device such as acellular telephone, music player, gaming device, navigation unit, orother compact device. FIG. 3 shows how electronic device 10 may be atablet computer. These are merely illustrative examples. Electronicdevices such as illustrative electronic device 10 of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3may be laptop computers, computer monitors with embedded computers,tablet computers, cellular telephones, media players, other handheld andportable electronic devices, smaller devices such as wrist-watchdevices, pendant devices, headphone and earpiece devices, other wearableand miniature devices, or other electronic equipment.

Device 10 may have a housing such as housing 12. Housing 12, which issometimes referred to as a case, may be formed of materials such asplastic, glass, ceramics, carbon-fiber composites and other composites,metal, other materials, or a combination of these materials. Device 10may be formed using a unibody construction in which most or all ofhousing 12 is formed from a single structural element (e.g., a piece ofmachined metal or a piece of molded plastic) or may be formed frommultiple housing structures (e.g., outer housing structures that havebeen mounted to internal frame elements or other internal housingstructures).

Device 10 may have one or more displays such as display 14. Display 14may be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display or other suitabledisplay. Display layer 14 may include display pixels formed fromlight-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic LEDs (OLEDs), plasma cells,electronic ink elements, liquid crystal display (LCD) components, orother suitable display pixel structures compatible with flexibledisplays. Display 14 may, if desired, include capacitive touch sensorelectrodes for a capacitive touch sensor array or other touch sensorstructures (i.e., display 14 may be a touch screen). Touch sensorelectrodes may be provided on a touch panel layer that is interposedbetween an organic light-emitting diode display layer and a transparentcover layer (e.g., a cover glass layer), may be formed on the undersideof a cover layer, or may otherwise be incorporated into display 14.

The display (sometimes referred to as the display layer, the OLEDdisplay, the flexible display or flexible OLED display) may have aplanar rectangular active region in its center. The rectangular activeregion includes an array of light-emitting diode pixels. Display 14 mayinclude an inactive portion at the edges of display 14. The inactiveportion of the display is shown as inactive border region 20 in FIGS. 1,2, and 3.

To enhance device aesthetics, the width of inactive border region 20that is visible from the front of the display may be minimized bymounting a display cover layer (e.g., a cover glass layer) to the deviceusing an adhesive that is interposed between the display cover layer anda flexible display such as an Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED)display.

A cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device havinga cover layer mounted to the device using lamination (e.g., an adhesivebond) to the device display is shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4,device 10 may include a rigid internal component such as component 32and a display such as flexible display 14. Flexible display 14 may beattached to component 32 to form a mounting platform such as mountingplatform 31.

Device 10 may include a transparent cover layer such as display coverlayer 30 (sometimes referred to herein as a cover layer, a transparentcover layer, a display cover layer, a display cover glass, or a coverglass). Cover layer 30 may be mounted to mounting platform 31 using anadhesive such as adhesive 34 that is interposed between cover layer 30and flexible display 14. Transparent cover layer 30 may be formed fromglass, plastic, or other suitable transparent material. Display 14 mayhave opposing top and bottom sides. Cover layer 30 may have a bottomside such as bottom side 33 and an edge such as outermost edge 35.

As shown in FIG. 4, bottom side 33 of cover layer 30 may be mounted tothe top side of display 14. Housing 12 may include housing structuressuch as housing sidewalls 13. Cover layer 30 may be mounted to mountingplatform 31 (i.e., component 32 and flexible display 14) so thatoutermost edge 35 is mounted abutting portion 37 of housing sidewall 13.Cover layer 30 may be mounted to flexible display 14 using adhesive 34so that interface 39 between housing structure 13 and cover layer 30 maybe free of adhesive. In configurations in which cover layer 30 isattached to mounting platform 31 using adhesive 34, housing 12 and coverlayer 30 may form an enclosure for device 10.

Rigid component 32 may be mounted to the bottom side of display 14.Component 32 may be mounted to the bottom side of display 14 using anadhesive material such as adhesive 36. Component 32 may be an active orinactive component of device 10. Component 32 may be a rigid supportstructure or may be a device component such as battery, printed circuitboard (PCB) or other active component or electrical component. Component32 may be mounted to device housing 12. Component 32 may, for example,be mounted to device housing structures such as housing 12 using screwsor other fasteners, clips, protrusions and mating recesses, grooves, andother engagement features, glue, welds, or other suitable attachmentmechanisms.

Displays such as flexible OLED displays may have display layers that arebonded together in a way that provides more internal strength thanconventional displays. Cover layer 30 may therefore be mounted to device10 without mounting cover layer 30 to housing 12 (e.g., using aninterface between cover layer 30 and housing 12 that is free of adhesiveand other connecting material).

In configurations in which cover layer 30 is mounted to flexible display14, active display pixels such as pixels 38 in display 14 may be formedalong outermost edge 35 of cover layer 30 (e.g., adjacent to portion 37of housing 12). Active display pixels along outermost edge 35 of coverlayer such as cover layer 30 that is mounted to flexible display 14 maybe visible to a user of device 10 under cover layer 30. In this way,inactive portion 20 (see FIG. 1) may be reduced in size or eliminated,thereby improving the aesthetic appearance of device 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, housing sidewall structure 13 may have an interiorsurface such as inner sidewall surface 41. Flexible display 14 may havea peripheral edge 43. Display cover layer 30 may have a peripheral edgecorresponding to outermost edge 35. As shown in FIG. 4, peripheral edge43 of flexible display 14 and peripheral edge 35 of display cover layer30 may be aligned and may contact inner sidewall surface 41 of housingstructure 13.

FIG. 5 shows an illustrative mounting platform 31 that includes acomponent 32 that is formed from a rigid support structure for mountingdisplay 14 (and consequently cover glass 30) to device 10. As shown inFIG. 5, component 32 may be formed from a rigid support structure havingone or more bends 42. Bends 42 in rigid support structure 32 may allowrigid support structure 32 to be mounted to housing 12 while allowingspace for additional internal components 44.

Additional internal components 44 may include batteries, PCB's,integrated circuits, speakers, vibrators, or other components. In theexample of FIG. 5, rigid support structure 32 is attached to housing 12using one or more screws such as screws 40. Portions 46 of component 32may be provided with openings such as holes that allow screws 40 to passthrough portions 46 and into housing 12.

FIG. 6 shows an illustrative component 32 that is formed from one ormore active internal components of device 10. As shown in FIG. 6,display 14 may be mounted to active components 32 using a bondingmaterial such as adhesive 36. Active internal components 32 may beelectrical components, mechanical components or other active components(e.g., batteries, printed circuit boards, integrated circuits,communications components, etc.). Active internal components 32 may bemounted to other active internal components such as other internalcomponents 44. Other internal components 44 may be mounted to additionalinternal components 44 or may be mounted to housing 12.

The example of FIG. 6 is merely illustrative. If desired, activecomponents 32 may be mounted directly to housing 12. Components 32 maybe mounted to other components 44 using adhesive, mechanical attachingmembers, electrical bonding material (e.g., solder or conductiveadhesive) or other suitable mounting methods. As shown in FIG. 6, coverglass 30 may be mounted to display 14 using adhesive layer 34. Coverglass 30 may be mounted to device 10 using an adhesive bond to a displaysuch as display 14 that is mounted to active internal components such ascomponents 32.

FIG. 7 shows an illustrative component 32 that is formed from a rigidsupport structure that is substantially straight. As shown in FIG. 7,rigid support structure 32 may include a recess such as recess 50.Recess 50 may provide space for the head of a fastener such as screw 40.In the example of FIG. 7 rigid support structure 32 is formed from asingle structure. Recess 32 may be formed on rigid support structure 32using a metal etching procedure, a mechanical grinding procedure orother suitable procedure for producing recess 50. This is merelyillustrative. If desired, rigid support structure 32 may be formed frommore than one structure.

In the scenario in which rigid support structure 32 is formed frommultiple structures, the structures may be welded to form a recess suchas recess 50 as shown in FIG. 8. In the example of FIG. 8, rigid supportstructure 32 includes an additional structure 32W that is welded torigid support structure 32 at weld 52. Additional structure 32W may bewelded to rigid support structure 32 so that space 50 is provided forthe head of a fastener such as screw 40. In the examples of FIGS. 8 and9, screw 40 may be using to attach rigid support member 32 to othercomponents of device 10 (e.g., housing 12, active components 44, orother components). Display 14 may be attached to rigid support member 32using adhesive 36. Cover layer 30 may be attached to device 10 byattaching cover layer 30 to display 14 using adhesive 34.

FIG. 9 shows an illustrative component 32 that is formed from a rigidsupport structure having an opening for mounting a portion of a flexibledisplay. As shown in FIG. 9, rigid support structure 32 may include anopening such as slot 54. Flexible display 14 may be mounted to rigidsupport structure 32 so that a portion such as portion 56 of flexibledisplay 14 is bent around a portion of rigid support structure 32 intoslot 54.

To ensure that flexible display 14 is not damaged during the bendingprocess, bending operations may be performed that limit bending to anacceptable bend radius R. The value of R may be, for example, about 3 to5 times the thickness of the bent material (e.g., bend radius R may beabout 0.2 to 0.5 mm). Portion 56 of flexible display 14 may be attachedto the sidewalls of slot 54 using adhesive 34 or may be held in slot 54using external pressure from housing structure 13.

As shown in FIG. 9, additional internal components (e.g., PCB's,integrated circuitry, or other components) may be mounted to rigidsupport structure 32. Active pixels 38 may extend into portion 56 offlexible display 14 so that active pixels are visible undersubstantially all of cover layer 30. A minimal edge portion of display14 may have inactive pixels that are visible under cover layer 30. Theminimal edge portion of display 14 that remains visible may be coveredwith a bezel or a portion of a display cover layer that is coated on itsunderside with an opaque masking layer such as black ink (as examples).

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an electronicdevice having a flexible display that is attached to a rigid supportmember and is mounted adjacent to a housing structure. As shown in FIG.10, flexible display 14 may be attached to rigid support structure 32using adhesive 36. Flexible display 14 may have a portion 60 that isbent such that portion 60 is substantially perpendicular to the activedisplay area of display 14.

Flexible display 14 may have a tendency to return to a substantiallyflat shape. This tendency to return to a substantially flat shape maycause flexible display 14 to exert a restoring force on rigid supportstructure 32. In order to provide extra resistance against the restoringforce of flexible display 14, portion 60 may be positioned such that ahousing sidewall such as housing structure 13 is adjacent to portion 60thereby holding portion 60 against rigid support structure 32.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional side view of an electronic device having arigid support member that is mounted to mounting tabs on a devicehousing structure. As shown in FIG. 11, rigid support structure 32 mayhave a portion 66 that is bent such that portion 66 is substantiallyperpendicular to cover layer 30.

Portions 66 of rigid support structure 32 may be provided with openingssuch as holes 68. Housing structure 13 may be provided with mountingmembers such as mounting tabs 62. Mounting tabs 62 may be configured topass through holes 68 in portions 66 of rigid support structure 32.During assembly of device 10, cover layer 30 may be attached to display14. During assembly of device 10, display 14 may be attached to rigidsupport structure 32. During assembly of device 10, cover layer 30,display 14, and rigid support structure 32, may be inserted into device10 in direction 70 (i.e., from the front side of device 10). Portions 66of rigid support structure 32 may be configured to have someflexibility.

During assembly of device 10, while rigid support structure 32 is movedin direction 70, portions 66 may bend as indicated by arrows 64. Duringassembly, portions 66 may bend further as rigid support structure 32 ismoved further in direction 70 until holes 68 align with mounting tabs 62of housing structures 12. During assembly, when holes 68 align withmounting tabs 62, portions 66 may “snap” onto mounting tabs 62 (i.e.,mounting tabs 62 may enter holes 68 as portions 66 return to asubstantially perpendicular position with respect to cover layer 30).Inserting rigid support structure 32 into device 10 until mounting tabs62 (at least partially) pass through holes 68 may effectively lock rigidsupport structure 32 into device 10.

As shown in the examples of FIGS. 10, 11, and 12, display 14 may beattached to rigid support member 32 using adhesive 36. Cover layer 30may be attached to device 10 by attaching cover layer 30 to display 14using adhesive 34.

The example of FIG. 11 in which display 14 covers only the portion ofrigid support structure 32 that is parallel to cover layer 30 is merelyillustrative. As shown in FIG. 12, flexible display 14 may be bent sothat flexible display 14 covers all or part of perpendicular portions 66of rigid support structure 32. As described above in connection withFIG. 10, flexible display 14 may have a tendency to return to asubstantially flat shape. This tendency to return to a substantiallyflat shape may cause flexible display 14 to exert a restoring force onrigid support structure 32.

As shown in FIG. 12, in order to provide extra resistance against therestoring force of flexible display 14, device 10 may be provided withone or more tensioning members such as tensioning member 72. Tensioningmember 72 may be attached to portions 66 of rigid support structure 32.Tensioning member 72 may be formed from a thin wire, a plurality ofwires or may be an extended structure that extends in a directionperpendicular to the cross-sectional side view of FIG. 12 along all orpart of rigid support structure 32. Tensioning member 72 may be formedof materials such as plastics, carbon-fiber composites and othercomposites, metal, other materials, or a combination of these materials.

If desired, tensioning member 72 may be formed from an active internalcomponent of device 10. As shown in FIG. 13, tensioning member 72 may bea printed circuit board or other active internal component of device 10.Portions 66 of rigid support structure 32 may be attached to additionalsupport members 72E. Additional support members 72E may be attached toprinted circuit board 72 so that printed circuit board 72 may provideextra resistance against the restoring force of flexible display 14 onrigid support structure 32. In the example of FIG. 13, PCB 72 isattached to additional support members 72E using screws 74. This ismerely illustrative. Rigid support structure 32 may be welded toadditional support members 72E or may be attached to additional supportmembers 72E using adhesive or other bonding materials.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrativedevice such as device 10 in which rigid support structure 32 is mountedin a notch in a housing structure. As shown in FIG. 14 housing structure13 of device 10 may be provided with an opening such as notch 80. Notch80 may run along a lateral dimension of device 10. A portion of mountingplatform 31 (including a portion of rigid support structure 32 and aportion of display 14) may be mounted in notch 80.

During assembly of device 10, rigid support structure 32 may be attachedto housing 12 using any suitable attachment method. During assembly,flexible display 14 may be deformed as indicated by dashed lines 82 sothat display 14 may be mounted onto rigid support structure 32 usingadhesive such as adhesive 36. During assembly, following mountingdisplay 14 to rigid support structure 32, cover glass 30 may be mountedonto mounting platform 31 by attaching cover glass 30 to flexibledisplay 14 using adhesive such as adhesive 34.

In configurations in which display 14 is mounted between cover glass 30and a rigid support structure that is mounted in notch 80 in housingstructure 13, rigid support may be provided on two sides of display 14.Cover layer 30 may be mounted to device 10 using an adhesive bond withflexible display 14 so that interface 39 between outermost edge 35 ofcover layer 30 and portion 37 of housing structure 13 may remain free ofadhesive.

If desired, electronic device 10 may be provided with housing structureshaving extended portions for restraining a cover layer as shown in FIG.15. In the example of FIG. 15, housing structure 13 includes an extendedportion 82 that is substantially perpendicular to housing sidewall 13.Cover layer 30 may include a cutaway portion such as notch 84 that isconfigured to abut portion 82 of housing structure 13.

Notched cover layer 30 may be mounted to a flexible display such asdisplay 14. Display 14 may be mounted to a rigid support structure suchas support structure 32. During assembly of electronic device 10, thedisplay package that includes cover layer 30, display 14 and rigidsupport structure 32 may be inserted into device 10 in direction 86. Thedisplay package including notched cover layer 30 may be inserted indirection 86 until notch 84 comes into contact with portion 82 ofhousing structure 13. Cover layer 30 may therefore be mounted to device10 by attaching cover layer 30 to display 14 using adhesive 34 and anadhesive-free contact with extended portions 82 of housing 12.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrativedevice 10 having a housing structure with a slotted portion for mountinga portion of a flexible display. As shown in FIG. 16, housing 12 mayinclude an internal separating structure such as slot wall portion 12Sthat forms a slot 90 between portion 12S and housing sidewall 13.Flexible display 14 may have a portion 60 that is bent such that portion60 is substantially perpendicular to the active display area of display14. Portion 60 may be mounted in slot 90. Portion 90 of flexible display14 may be mounted in slot 90 between housing structure 13 and slot wallportion 12S. If desired, rigid support structure 32 may be attached toslot wall 12S.

Rigid support structure 32 may be formed from metal or otherelectrically conducting or heat conducting material. As shown in FIG.17, rigid support structure 32 may be formed so that rigid supportstructure 32 substantially surrounds one or more electrical componentssuch as components 44. Components 44 may be mounted to a printed circuitboard such as PCB 92.

Rigid support structure 32 may be configured to provide shielding forcomponents 44 from electromagnetic interference (EMI) or may shieldother device components from EMI resulting from components 44. Rigidsupport structure 32 may be formed from heat conducting material (e.g.,copper, aluminum, other metal, or other heat conducting material). Rigidsupport structure 32 may be coupled to a heat sink such as heat sink 94.Rigid support structure 32 may be configured to conduct heat away fromflexible display 14 to heat sink 94. Cover layer 30 may be mounted to aflexible display such as display 14 that is mounted to a rigid supportstructure that serves as an electromagnetic shield for electricalcomponents or that is configured to conduct heat away from the display.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an illustrative assembly system formounting a flexible display such as flexible display 14 to a supportstructure such as rigid support structure 32. The assembly system mayinclude an applicator such as applicator 100. Applicator 100 may have ashape that corresponds to the curved shape of rigid support structure32. Applicator 100 may be moved in direction 102 in order to pressflexible display 14 into contact with rigid support structure 32. Whilemoving in direction 102, the shape (e.g., curved portions 110) ofapplicator 100 may press flexible display 14 into contact with curvedportions 112 of rigid support structure 32.

During assembly, before placing flexible display 14 onto rigid supportstructure 32, if desired, adhesive 36 may be placed onto rigid supportstructure 32. Adhesive 36 may bond flexible display 14 to rigid supportstructure 32. If desired, the assembly system may include one or morefastener delivery members such as screw delivery members 104. Screwdelivery members 104 may be configured to carry fasteners such as screws106 for fastening flexible display 14 to rigid support structure 32.

Applicator 100 may include one or more openings 114 into which screwdelivery members 104 may carry screws 106. During assembly, afterpressing flexible display 14 into contact with curved portions 112 ofrigid support structure 32, screw delivery members 104 may be moved (asindicated by arrows 108) to insert screws 106 through openings 114 inapplicator 100 so that screws 106 pass through flexible display 14 andinto rigid support structure 32, thereby fastening display 14 to rigidsupport structure 32.

During assembly, alignment marks may be used to align flexible display14 with rigid support structure 32. Because rigid support structure 32may be precisely positioned with respect to housing 12, aligningflexible display 14 to rigid support structure 32 may provide improvedalignment of display 14 with edges of housing 12. As shown in FIG. 18,rigid support structure 32 may have one or more alignment marks 120.Alignment marks 120 of rigid support structure 32 may be indentations orother visible marks on rigid support structure 32. Flexible display 14may have one or more alignment marks 120.

Alignment marks 120 of flexible display 14 may be indentations, visiblemarks or may simply be a virtual edge such as edge 122 at which the lastactive display pixel 38 is located. Aligning flexible display 14 torigid support structure 32 in this way may allow the last active displaypixel 38 to be precisely aligned with an edge of housing 12. Alignmentof flexible display 14 and rigid support structure 32 may be performedby aligning alignment marks 120 of rigid support structure 32 withalignment marks 120 of flexible display 14 before pressing flexibledisplay 14 into contact with curved portions 112 of rigid supportstructure 32 (see FIG. 18).

The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this inventionand various modifications can be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic device, comprising: a housing; asupport structure having a first portion that defines a plane and asecond portion that bends out of the plane; an array of pixels on thesupport structure, wherein the array of pixels comprises a first groupof pixels on the first portion of the support structure and a secondgroup of pixels on the second portion of the support structure; and adisplay cover layer mounted in the housing, wherein the display coverlayer overlaps the first and second portions of the support structure.2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the housingcomprises a sidewall and wherein an edge portion of the display coverlayer abuts the sidewall.
 3. The electronic device defined in claim 2wherein the second group of pixels displays images through the edgeportion of the display cover layer.
 4. The electronic device defined inclaim 1 wherein the pixels comprise organic light-emitting diode pixels.5. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a layerof adhesive that attaches the array of pixels to the display coverlayer.
 6. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the displaycover layer has first and second regions, wherein the first regionoverlaps the first portion of the support structure and has a firstthickness, wherein the second region overlaps the second portion of thesupport structure and has a second thickness, and wherein the firstthickness is different from the second thickness.
 7. The electronicdevice defined in claim 6 wherein the second thickness is less than thefirst thickness.
 8. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein thehousing comprises glass.
 9. The electronic device defined in claim 1wherein the pixels form part of a flexible display layer.
 10. Theelectronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the display cover layercomprises glass.
 11. A cellular telephone, comprising: a rear housingwall; a support member having a planar portion and a bent edge portion;an array of pixels on the planar portion and the bent edge portion; anda transparent cover layer through which the array of pixels displaysimages, wherein the transparent cover layer overlaps the planar portionand the bent edge portion and wherein the support member is interposedbetween the rear housing wall and the transparent cover layer.
 12. Thecellular telephone defined in claim 11 further comprising a housingsidewall, wherein the transparent cover layer has an edge portion thatabuts the housing sidewall.
 13. The cellular telephone defined in claim12 wherein the array of pixels comprises edge pixels on the bent edgeportion of the support member and wherein the edge pixels display imagesthrough the edge portion of the transparent cover layer.
 14. Thecellular telephone defined in claim 11 wherein the transparent coverlayer comprises glass.
 15. The cellular telephone defined in claim 14further comprising adhesive that attaches the array of pixels to thetransparent cover layer.
 16. An electronic device having opposing frontand rear surfaces, comprising: a glass housing member that forms atleast a portion of the rear surface; a cover glass that forms at least aportion of the front surface; and a flexible display layer interposedbetween the glass housing member and the cover glass, wherein theflexible display layer comprises a bent edge and an array of pixels,wherein the array of pixels comprises first and second groups of pixels,wherein the second group of pixels is located on the bent edge, whereinthe cover glass has a first portion with a first thickness overlappingthe first group of pixels and a second portion with a second thicknessoverlapping the second group of pixels, and wherein the first thicknessis different from the second thickness.
 17. The electronic devicedefined in claim 16 further comprising a housing sidewall, wherein thecover glass has an edge portion that abuts the housing sidewall.
 18. Theelectronic device defined in claim 17 wherein the second group of pixelsdisplays images through the edge portion of the cover glass.
 19. Theelectronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the second thickness isless than the first thickness.
 20. The electronic device defined inclaim 16 further comprising: a support structure having a bent edge,wherein the flexible display layer conforms to the bent edge of thesupport structure.